Pre-Orders Get Underway Today via Ed's Official Website; UK Tunesmith Celebrates Release of "+" With Pair of NYC Shows at Bowery Ballroom & Music Hall of Williamsburg; "+" Available Everywhere on June 12th
(April 18, 2012)

NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 04/18/12 -- Elektra recording artist Ed Sheeran has announced the official release of "THE SLUMDON BRIDGE EP," a four-song collaboration with Shady Records/Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment/Interscope Records recording artist Yelawolf. The acclaimed EP will be available via all digital retailers on April 24th.

"The collaboration with Yelawolf came about through me just being a big fan of his work, and wanting to make some interesting music with him. I reached out, he said yes, we had 10 hours in a studio together and made 4 songs, which I love. I think the EP is a good fusion of both worlds; he's such a talented musician, and a great person," Sheeran says of working with Yelawolf and the process behind "THE SLUMDON BRIDGE EP."

Added Yelawolf, "It was surprising to me that we vibed so well; we did the entire project in one night. Ed is super, super f***in' talented and I hope I get to work with him again in the future."

"THE SLUMDON BRIDGE EP" earned online praise earlier this year upon its initial release as a free Valentine's Day download. "It's a unique project from start to finish," declared AllHipHop.com. "Yelawolf and Ed Sheeran are... the most unlikeliest of teams, but it works. Here's hoping that we see more of them together in the future."

"Any true music lover would thoroughly enjoy the supernatural chemistry that oozes from this opus," noted PlanetIll.com, adding that "if you never heard of Ed Sheeran, you'll definitely become a fan after listening to this joint... It's only a matter of time till he catches the ear of a hip-hop heavyweight."

"THE SLUMDON BRIDGE EP" heralds the eagerly awaited U.S. release of Sheeran's acclaimed debut album, "+." A record-breaking sensation in the British singer/songwriter's native U.K., "+" arrives on these shores on June 12th.

In the meantime, "+" pre-orders are available now. The album is offered in a variety of bundles, comprising such exclusive extras as a blue "Crest" t-shirt and a "Logo" pullover hoodie. All packages include a copy of "+" (in CD, digital, or orange vinyl), a full album stream (expiring on street date), and an instant MP3 download of the recently released digital EP, "THE A TEAM." For complete details and ordering information, please visit Sheeran's official webpage at http://www.edsheeran.com.

Sheeran, who is currently on his first ever North American tour alongside Snow Patrol, is celebrating the release of "+" with a pair of shows in NYC; performing at Bowery Ballroom on June 11th, which is a 16 years old and over show, and Music Hall of Williamsburg on June 12th. Tickets for both shows go on sale this Friday, April 20th at 12pm EST via Ed's official website, http://www.edsheeran.com. This new set of dates come on the heels of the Snow Patrol dates, which kicked off on March 29th and are running through mid-May (see itinerary below).

In addition, Sheeran will perform his blockbuster single, "The A Team," on an upcoming installment of TBS' Conan, slated for Tuesday, May 8th. The appearance follows recent live performances on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Last Call with Carson Daly, and mtvU's 2012 Woodie Awards extravaganza.

The current tour schedule comes on the heels of Sheeran's triumphant string of performances at this year's South by Southwest® Music & Media Conference (SXSW®) in Austin, Texas. Entertainment Weekly praised his "knack for manipulating samplers and voice loops, various strums, a handful of rhythmic pounds on his guitar's body, and even the audience," while Billboard hailed his energetic set at Nikon Inc. and Warner Music Group's "The Warner Sound Captured by Nikon" residency as "a veritable party in a single package."

Masterfully blending soulful vocals with organic folk introspection and irresistible hip-hop hooks, Sheeran is a genuine phenomenon. Inspired by such diverse artists as James Morrison, Damien Rice, and Jay-Z, the gifted tunesmith first made waves with his unique style and affecting songs. A prolific writer and performer, Sheeran played constantly -- including over 300 gigs in 2009 alone -- while also recording and self-releasing five independent EPs. He also became a YouTube favorite, with the loop-driven "You Need Me, I Don't Need You," drawing over 5 million views and counting.

His major label debut single, "The A Team," arrived in June 2011 and instantly proved an unqualified sensation, entering among the top 3 on the U.K. Singles Chart. The track spent 11 consecutive weeks in the U.K. Top 10, making history as 2011's highest charting, biggest selling debut single.

Sheeran's full-length debut, "+," soon followed, featuring a host of truly special songs, from the heart-wrenching "Small Bump" to the hushed "Give Me Love." The album exploded onto the U.K. Albums Chart at #1 with the highest opening sales figures for a debut artist ever. Now certified 3x platinum, the collection has since entered the record books as the best selling debut album by a U.K. male artist in the last 10 years.

In addition to their popular success, Sheeran and "+" received extensive acclaim, including the prestigious "Breakthrough Artist" trophy at the Q Awards 2011. Even greater accolades came in early 2012 as Sheeran emerged victorious with a pair of top 2011 Brit Awards -- including "Best Male Artist" and "Best Breakthrough Artist" -- after having led the field with a remarkable four total nods.

Released in December 2011, Sheeran's U.S. debut EP, "THE A TEAM," features four extraordinary tracks previously unavailable here in the former Colonies, including, of course, "The A Team." A special iTunes version of the EP -- available exclusively via the iTunes Store -- is augmented by an additional track, "Grade 8 (Live At The iTunes Festival London)."

As energetic and engaging on stage as he is on record, Sheeran spent much of last year doing what he does best -- playing sold out shows all over the U.K., including acclaimed festival appearances at such annual extravaganzas as Glastonbury, Lovebox, Bestival, Latitude, and Reading & Leeds Festival. Sheeran is currently slated to join such rock royalty as Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Sir Tom Jones, and Jay-Z in celebrating the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's reign at The Royal Diamond Jubilee Concert, set for June 4th outside Buckingham Palace. A further series of U.K and European festivals are scheduled for the summer, followed by his biggest U.K. tour to date, featuring completely sold out multiple night stands in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Doncaster, Newcastle, and Glasgow.

Yelawolf's debut major label album, Radioactive (Shady Records/Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment/Interscope Records), is available now. Upon its release in November, the album shot into the Top 10 on both the Rap and R&B charts (Top 20 on the U.K. R&B chart as well). Honored by XXL magazine as one of the top 10 albums of the year, Radioactive hit the Top 30 of Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart. Yelawolf has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Conan in support of the album while also touring the United States, Europe and Australia. He is currently on tour in the United States before travelling abroad for a European summer festival run. Check out www.Yelawolf.com for the latest news and tour information.